The path to spiritual wholeness, post-Adam and Eve.

PREPARATION

Parents shall not be put to death for their children, nor shall children be put to death for their parents; everyone shall be put to death for his own sin.

Source 2: Exodus 20:4-6
(p. 409 ArtScroll Chumash, Stone Edition)

You shall not make yourself a carved image nor any likeness of that which is in the heavens above, or on the earth below, or in the water beneath the earth. You shall not prostrate yourself to them nor worship them, for I am Hashem, your God – a jealous God, Who visits the sin of parents upon children to the third and forth generations, for My enemies; but Who shows kindness for thousands [of generations] to those who love Me and observe My commandments.

Source 3: Genesis 4:3-7
(p. 21 ArtScroll Chumash, Stone Edition)

After a period of time, Cain brought an offering to God of the fruit of the ground; and as for Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and from their choicest. God turned to Abel and to his offering, but to Cain and to his offering He did not turn. This annoyed Cain exceedingly, and his countenance fell.

And God said to Cain, "Why are you annoyed, and why has your countenance fallen? Surely, if you improve yourself, you will be forgiven. But if you do not improve yourself, sin rests at the door. Its desire is toward you, yet you can conquer it."

WORKSHOP

(1) What is Original Sin?

(2) Does Judaism believe that sin can be carried through the generations? Give a source for your answer.

(3) Read Source 2. This source, taken from the Ten Commandments, seems to contradict our conclusion that Original Sin is not accepted in the Torah. Explain how this source remains congruent with the Torah's stance on Original Sin.

(4) What is 'Zechut Avot' and how is that transmitted through the generations?

(5) If the Torah (Old Testament) denies the validity of Original Sin, how do the Christians view the Old Testament's place in Christianity?

(6) According to Jeremiah 13:23: 'It is easier for a leopard to change its spots than for a person to change his ways.' What is another Torah source for the Jewish faith in our ability to change, develop and grow as human beings?

ANSWERS

(1) Q: What is Original Sin?

A: Original sin is a tenet of Christian theology stating that when Adam and Eve sinned, a portion of their sin was destined to be passed down from generation to generation. According to this doctrine, every generation is considered to be a carrier of the burden of Adam and Eve's sin. Jesus had to die in order to atone for their sins and those of future generations, as the individual could not atone on their own.

(2) Q: Does Judaism believe that sin can be carried through the generations? Give a source for your answer.

A: No, this is not a Jewish concept. As we learn in Source 1, the Torah teaches that children cannot be put to death for the sins of their parents, and vise-versa.

(3) Q: Read Source 2. This source, taken from the Ten Commandments, seems to contradict our conclusion that Original Sin is not accepted in the Torah. Explain how this source remains congruent with the Torah's stance on Original Sin.

A: The text should not be read "Visiting the sins of parents on children," rather it should be read "Remembering (or taking into account) the sins of parents on children." Rabbi Samson Rafael Hirsh explains that rather than being a strict, condemnatory verse, this verse expresses a merciful aspect of God. God is stating that when a person commits a crime, He will take their background and upbringing into account when passing judgment.

(4) Q: What is 'Zechut Avot' and how is that transmitted through the generations?

A:Zechut Avot refers to the transmitted blessing or "merit" of our ancestors. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob accrued a certain credit through their meritorious deeds. Because their souls were concerned with the perpetuation of the Jewish people, future generations can be granted gifts based on the actions they performed that were good.

(5) Q: If the Torah (Old Testament) denies the validity of Original Sin, how do the Christians view the Old Testament's place in Christianity?

A: Christianity suggests that the Old Testament was only given to man to prove that it cannot be kept. As these laws are beyond man's grasp, Jesus had to be put to death to atone for the sins of man. He had to die because, according to Christianity, Original Sin imposes such a heavy burden that man cannot do it alone. If man could be saved by deed alone, that means Jesus would have died for nothing.

(6) Q: According to Jeremiah 13:23: 'It is easier for a leopard to change its spots than for a person to change his ways.' What is another Torah source for the Jewish faith in our ability to change, develop and grow as human beings?

A: In Genesis (Source 3), God spoke to Cain saying, "Sin crouches at the door, but you can rule over it." God was telling Cain that the temptation to sin was there, but he had the ability to overcome it and choose differently. The message: You can change, you can be good, you can live according to Jewish law. Every Jew that lives according to Jewish law contradicts the Christian idea that you can't do it on your own. We each have in our hands the power to earn salvation.

SUMMARY

The concept of Original Sin states that when Adam and Eve sinned, a portion of that sin was transmitted from generation to generation. According to Christian Theology, every generation is a carrier of the burden of sin of Adam and Eve.

The Torah teaches us that "Children shall not be put to death for the sins of their parents, and parents shall not be put to death for the sins of their children." From this we learn that the idea of "Original Sin" has no place in Judaism. Ours is a God of justice. When He teaches us not to punish one person for the sins of another, He also applies these principles in the heavenly courts.

The second of the Ten Commandments seems to give credence to the idea of Original Sin within Judaism. How do we understand the verse telling us that God "visits the sins of parents upon children [for] generations"?

The Hebrew "po'keid" should be understood as 'remembering the sins of parents on children.' Rabbi Samson Rafael Hirsh explains that 'rather than being a strict, condemnatory verse, this verse expresses God's mercy. When someone commits a crime, before passing judgment God takes into account what can be expected of a person, given their education and upbringing. Our understanding of the Hebrew is crucial to gaining the true meaning of this verse.

Judaism does not accept the idea of transmitted sin as expressed in the Christian concept of Original Sin. We do have the concept of transmitted blessing, known as zechut avot – the merit of the fathers. Because our forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were only interested in the perpetuation of the Jewish people, they accrued a certain credit. Through this credit we can receive benefits based on their achievements.

Christianity says that Original Sin imposes such a heavy burden on subsequent generations that man alone cannot atone for his sins. The Old Testament was given to 'prove' that it cannot be kept. They believe this is why Jesus had to die – man simply cannot do it on his own.

Every Jew who lives by God's mitzvot and learns His Torah bears witness to the fact that it can and is possible. Indeed, we are taught in Genesis that "you can rule over it [sin]."

The New Testament says, "It is easier for a leopard to change its spots than for a person to change his ways." Judaism is based on the concept that we can change, we can be good, and we can choose who we are through our actions.

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About the Author

Rabbi Benjamin Blech, a frequent contributor to Aish, is a Professor of Talmud at Yeshiva University and an internationally recognized educator, religious leader, and lecturer. Author of 14 highly acclaimed books with combined sales of over a half million copies, his newest, The World From A Spiritual Perspective, is a collection of over 100 of his best Aish articles. See his website at www.benjaminblech.com.

I'm told that it's a mitzvah to become intoxicated on Purim. This puzzles me, because to my understanding, it is not considered a good thing to become intoxicated, period.

One of the characteristics of the at-risk youth is their use of drugs, including alcohol. In my experience, getting drunk doesn't reveal secrets. It makes people act stupid and irresponsible, doing things they would never do if they were sober. Also, I know a lot about the horrible health effects of abusing alcohol, because I work at a research center that focuses on addiction and substance abuse.

Also, I am an alcoholic, which means that if I drink, very bad things happen. I have not had a drink in 22 years, and I have no intention of starting now. Surely there must be instances where a person is excused from the obligation to drink. I don't see how Judaism could ever promote the idea of getting drunk. It just doesn't seem right.

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Putting aside for a moment all the spiritual and philosophical reasons for getting drunk on Purim, this remains an issue of common sense. Of course, teenagers should be warned of the dangers of acute alcohol ingestion. Of course, nobody should drink and drive. Of course, nobody should become so drunk to the point of negligence in performing mitzvot. And of course, a recovering alcoholic should not partake of alcohol on Purim.

Indeed, the Code of Jewish Law explicitly says that if one suspects the drinking may affect him negatively, then he should NOT drink.

Getting drunk on Purim is actually one of the most difficult mitzvot to do correctly. A person should only drink if it will lead to positive spiritual results - e.g. under the loosening affect of the alcohol, greater awareness will surface of the love for God and Torah found deep in the heart. (Perhaps if we were on a higher spiritual level, we wouldn't need to get drunk!)

Yet the Talmud still speaks of an obligation on Purim of "not knowing the difference between Blessed is Mordechai and Cursed is Haman." How then should a person who doesn't drink get the point of “not knowing”? Simple - just go to sleep! (Rama - OC 695:2)

All this applies to individuals. But the question remains - does drinking on Purim adversely affect the collective social health of the Jewish community?

The aversion to alcoholism is engrained into Jewish consciousness from a number of Biblical and Talmudic sources. There are the rebuking words of prophets - Isaiah 28:1, Hosea 3:1 with Rashi, and Amos 6:6, and the Zohar says that "The wicked stray after wine" (Midrash Ne'alam Parshat Vayera).

It is well known that the rate of alcoholism among Jews has historically been very low. Numerous medical, psychological and sociological studies have confirmed this. The connection between Judaism and sobriety is so evident, that the following conversation is reported by Lawrence Kelemen in "Permission to Receive":

When Dr. Mark Keller, editor of the Quarterly Journal of Studies on Alcohol, commented that "practically all Jews do drink, and yet all the world knows that Jews hardly ever become alcoholics," his colleague, Dr. Howard Haggard, director of Yale's Laboratory of Applied Physiology, jokingly proposed converting alcoholics to the Jewish religion in order to immerse them in a culture with healthy attitudes toward drinking!

Perhaps we could suggest that it is precisely because of the use of alcohol in traditional ceremonies (Kiddush, Bris, Purim, etc.), that Jews experience such low rates of alcoholism. This ceremonial usage may actually act like an inoculation - i.e. injecting a safe amount that keeps the disease away.

Of course, as we said earlier, all this needs to be monitored with good common sense. Yet in my personal experience - having been in the company of Torah scholars who were totally drunk on Purim - they acted with extreme gentleness and joy. Amid the Jewish songs and beautiful words of Torah, every year the event is, for me, very special.

Adar 12 marks the dedication of Herod's renovations on the second Holy Temple in Jerusalem in 11 BCE. Herod was king of Judea in the first century BCE who constructed grand projects like the fortresses at Masada and Herodium, the city of Caesarea, and fortifications around the old city of Jerusalem. The most ambitious of Herod's projects was the re-building of the Temple, which was in disrepair after standing over 300 years. Herod's renovations included a huge man-made platform that remains today the largest man-made platform in the world. It took 10,000 men 10 years just to build the retaining walls around the Temple Mount; the Western Wall that we know today is part of that retaining wall. The Temple itself was a phenomenal site, covered in gold and marble. As the Talmud says, "He who has not seen Herod's building, has never in his life seen a truly grand building."

Some people gauge the value of themselves by what they own. But in reality, the entire concept of ownership of possessions is based on an illusion. When you obtain a material object, it does not become part of you. Ownership is merely your right to use specific objects whenever you wish.

How unfortunate is the person who has an ambition to cleave to something impossible to cleave to! Such a person will not obtain what he desires and will experience suffering.

Fortunate is the person whose ambition it is to acquire personal growth that is independent of external factors. Such a person will lead a happy and rewarding life.

With exercising patience you could have saved yourself 400 zuzim (Berachos 20a).

This Talmudic proverb arose from a case where someone was fined 400 zuzim because he acted in undue haste and insulted some one.

I was once pulling into a parking lot. Since I was a bit late for an important appointment, I was terribly annoyed that the lead car in the procession was creeping at a snail's pace. The driver immediately in front of me was showing his impatience by sounding his horn. In my aggravation, I wanted to join him, but I saw no real purpose in adding to the cacophony.

When the lead driver finally pulled into a parking space, I saw a wheelchair symbol on his rear license plate. He was handicapped and was obviously in need of the nearest parking space. I felt bad that I had harbored such hostile feelings about him, but was gratified that I had not sounded my horn, because then I would really have felt guilty for my lack of consideration.

This incident has helped me to delay my reactions to other frustrating situations until I have more time to evaluate all the circumstances. My motives do not stem from lofty principles, but from my desire to avoid having to feel guilt and remorse for having been foolish or inconsiderate.

Today I shall...

try to withhold impulsive reaction, bearing in mind that a hasty act performed without full knowledge of all the circumstances may cause me much distress.

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